Expecting 600-plus runs from Virat Kohli in IPL 2022: RCB legend makes bold prediction for former skipper

A lot will be riding on Virat Kohli's shoulders as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) head into a new era under the captaincy of Faf du Plessis. RCB got off to a shaky start in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as they lost their opening game against Punjab Kings by five wickets. They will be looking to bounce back when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their next game on Tuesday (March 30).

Ahead of their game against KKR, RCB legend AB de Villiers spoke about the team's chances this season and backed Kohli to have a big season for the franchise. De Villiers, who is one of the legends of the game, believes Kohli can go on to score over 600 runs this season after being relieved from the pressure of captaincy.

"Everyone knows about Faf du Plessis coming in as captain. I think the most exciting thing for me is Virat not being captain and releasing a bit of the pressure, really just going out there and freeing up. I am expecting a very big season from Virat. I am thinking 600+ runs from him this year," said AB de Villiers on VUSport Streaming channel on YouTube.

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De Villiers retired from all forms of cricket after the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year and is not part of the RCB squad anymore. However, he remains one of the ardent supporters of the franchise and is hopeful of some brilliant performances from the youngsters in the franchise in IPL 2022.

"He (Kohli) will be in Faf's ear, but Faf is also very experienced as well. He has got good cricketing training on him and he would allow Virat and some of the youngsters to just go and free up, and just enjoy the IPL," said De Villiers.

"I don’t know what to expect (from RCB) but I expect some individuals to really rise in this IPL from the RCB setup," he added.

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In De Villiers' absence, Kohli will have a lot more run-scoring responsibilities on his shoulder as the former South Africa star was a pillar in the RCB batting line-up over the years. De Villiers and Kohli won several matches together for the team and were one of the most prolific duos in the history of the tournament.

While De Villiers has retired, RCB is also missing the services of star Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell for the start of the season. Maxwell is currently busy due to his marriage and is expected to join the rest of the squad soon for the ongoing season.